Mattel Australia

OVERALL

Company Ownership

Mattel Inc. is the world's largest toy company. Founded in 1945. Mattel closed its last USA factory in 2002, outsourcing production to China. Brands include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars.

This company has been criticised for offensive advertising. In 2015 the Advertising Standards Bureau upheld complaints about a tv ad by this company on the grounds that it breached advertising codes. The ad was subsequently discontinued or modified.[Source 2015][More on Irresponsible Marketing]

The ICTI CARE Process is the toy industry's ethical manufacturing program aimed at ensuring safe and humane workplace environments for toy factory workers worldwide. This company is a member of the 'ICP Committed Brands Program' which means they only contract from factories that have an ICP Seal of Compliance. However human rights groups including SOMO and China Labor Watch have criticised ICTI Care, with investigators finding serious labour rights violations occurring in ICTI-certified factories.[Source 2018][More on Workers Rights]

This company won a 2014 Sustainable Standard-Setter Award from the Rainforest Alliance, which recognizes businesses that are working diligently to meet rigorous sustainability standards, protect the environment, and support local communities worldwide. The award recognises Mattel's improvements in its paper and wood-fibre sourcing.[Source 2014][More on Eco-Certification]

This 2014 report by China Labour Watch investigates four Chinese factories supplying some of the largest toy brand companies in the world, including this one. The report reveals many labour violations in these factories, including long hours, excessive overtime, dangerous working conditions, low wages, and underpaid workers.[Source 2014][More on Workers Rights]

This 2015 investigative report by China Labour Watch found that poor working conditions in Chinese toy factories continue. This company was among those implicated in the report. Labor abuses such as low wages and excessive overtime are still widespread, with very little improvement in working conditions over time.[Source 2015][More on Workers Rights]

This 2017 investigative report by China Labour Watch reveals labor abuses in four Chinese toy factories. One or more of these factories supply this company. Labor abuses include low wages, excessive overtime, dangerous work environments and humiliating living conditions.[Source 2017][More on Workers Rights]

This 2018 investigative report by China Labour Watch reveals labor abuses in four Chinese toy factories. One or more of these factories supply this company. Labor abuses include low wages, excessive overtime, dangerous work environments and humiliating living conditions.[Source 2018][More on Workers Rights]

This website by German NGO Earth Link rates companies on their corporate policies against child labour, production monitoring and accusations of child labour. This company received at least one red mark, indicating poor performance in one or more of these areas.[Source 2013][More on Human Rights]

As You Sow's 2018 report, Mining the Disclosures, is a deep analysis of 206 companies' human rights performance in relation to sourcing conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This company's score was above 40% (Minimal).[Source 2018][More on Human Rights]

This 2005 investigative report by China Labour Watch reveals how workers in Chinese toy factories endure work schedules that surpass the legal limit by at least 36.5 hours per week, pay rates as low as only 59 percent of the local minimum wage, unsanitary cafeterias, dorm rooms housing 22 people each, and employees forced to foot the entire cost of their work-injury insurance and, in some instances, lack of insurance of any kind. [Listed under information due to age of report][Source 2005][More on Workers Rights]

Bad Company Awards 2007 - Mattel recalled over 21 million toys from around the world over a five-week period in 2007, due to design faults and the use of poisonous levels of lead paint. The recall included one toy that contained over 200 times the amount of lead permitted by US lawmakers.[Source 2007][More on Product Safety]

As You Sow's 2017 report, 'The 100 Most Overpaid CEOs', reveals the 100 most overpaid CEOs from USA's 500 largest public companies (as determined by the S&P 500 list). This company's CEO, Christopher A. Sinclair came in at number 93 on the list, having been paid US$9,744,329 in 2015. According to the report, "Most CEOs have come to be grossly overpaid, and that overpayment is harmful to the companies, the shareholders, the customers, the other employees, the economy, and society as a whole."[Source 2017][More on Finance]

In Oct 2011 Mattel announced that it will stop buying paper and packaging linked to rainforest destruction following a global campaign by Greenpeace. One such company is the notorious Asia Pulp and Paper group (APP), which Greenpeace investigators have shown to be involved in widespread rainforest clearance in Indonesia.[Source 2011][More on Palm Oil]

The ICTI CARE Process is the toy industry's ethical manufacturing program aimed at ensuring safe and humane workplace environments for toy factory workers worldwide. This company is a member of the 'ICP Committed Brands Program' which means they only contract from factories that have an ICP Seal of Compliance. However human rights groups including SOMO and China Labor Watch have criticised ICTI Care, with investigators finding serious labour rights violations occurring in ICTI-certified factories.[Source 2018][More on Workers Rights]

California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.[Source 2017][More on Human Rights]

OpenSecrets.org tracks the influence of money on U.S. politics, and how that money affects policy and citizens' lives. Follow link to see this company's record of political donations, lobbying, outside spending and more.[Source 2014]